Jackie “Moms” Mabley got her start on Vaudeville, raised by the popular act Butterbeans and Susie. Soon she was a prime attraction on the chitlin circuit using the persona that she always did: Crazily-colored housedress, signature knit cap, acting toothless when she still was.
It wasn’t until the late 60s that the rest of the nation got a load of her disarming comedy when she started appearing on the more adventuresome variety shows. Now nearly wholly forgotten, Whoopi Goldberg, who once had a one-woman stage show portraying her, presents a documentary on her life and influence.
Though a lot of heavy hitters sing her praises, from Bill Cosby and Harry Belafonte to Eddie Murphy (who says he based his grandmother character in “The Nutty Professor” on Moms), you sort of wish there were more clips of Mabley in “Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley” (HBO, 9 p.m.)to prove how singular she was. That all changes when she stops in the middle of “Playboy After Dark” to sing her version of “Abraham Martin and John” which certainly fits into the 50th anniversary week of the the JFK assassination.
The little-known world of relay horse racings among the tribes of North America are celebrated in the beautifully shot documentary “Indian Relay” on “Independent Lens” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings).
BBC America begins a weeklong celebration marking the 50th anniversary of TV’s longest-lasting science fiction creation with the specials “Doctor Who: Tales from the Tardis” (BBC America, 9 p.m.) and “The Science of Doctor Who” (BBC America, 10 p.m.).
Monday seems an odd day to premiere a movie, but “Christmas with Tucker” (Halmark, 8 p.m.) only vaguely has anything to do with the holiday anyway. Mostly its about the bond between a boy and a dog while he’s staying on the farm with his grandfather,who is played by James Brolin. It even has a bona fide Lassie moment. It’s OK family entertainment, albiet bland, and the Christmas stuff seems like something written into it at the last minute.
Ready for three hours of Christina Aguilera? The Top 10 sing for votes on “The Voice” (NBC, 9 p.m.) after a one hour recap.
With Elizabeth Berkley ousted from “Dancing with the Stars” (ABC, 8 p.m.), the five remaining couples dance twice tonight in the semifinals. The finale is next week.
As it settles into its regular time slot, the robot cop series “Almost Human” (Fox, 8 p.m.) goes immediately for a sexbot plot.
The Headless Horseman is confronted on a new “Sleepy Hollow” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
“How I Met Your Mother” (CBS, 8 p.m.) may be winding down (as it spins its wheels at a wedding), but now there’s news of a spin-off next season, “How I Met Your Father.” Kids, run away now.
Andrew Zimmern chomps cicadas in Virginia on tonight’s “Bizarre Foods America” (Travel, 9 p.m.).
It’s New England at Carolina (ESPN, 8:30 p.m.) in Monday Night Football.
FIlm history reaches the 1980s on Turner Classic Movies with “The Story of Film: An Odyssey: The 1980s – Moviemaking and Protest Around the World” (2:15 a.m.) surrounded by the examples, “Gregory’s Girl” (8 p.m.), “The Elephant Man” (10 p.m.), “Yeelen” (12:15 a.m.) and “Repentence” (3:30 a.m.).
In the NHL, it’s Anaheim at Pittsburgh (NBC Sports Network, 7:30 p.m.).
In men’s college basketball, it’s Vermont at Providence (Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m.), UNC Asheville at Duke (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Texas Southern at Texas Tech (ESPNU, 9 p.m.) and Fairleigh Dickinson at Arizona (ESPNU, 11 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Micheal: Vince Vaughn, David Plaine. The View: Jimmy Kimmel, Bob Iger, Demi Lovato. The Talk: Carol Burnett, Daughtry, Carnie Wilson. Ellen DeGeneres: James Franco.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Vince Vaughn, Lucious Jackson. Jay Leno: Whoopi Goldberg, Anthony Jeselnik, Cirque de Soleil. Jimmy Kimmel: Barbara Walters, Josh Gad, Fall Out Boy. Jimmy Fallon: Bill Cosby, Bonnie Raitt. Craig Ferguson: Kunal Nayyar. Carson Daly: St. Lucia, Adam Richmond. Tavis Smiley: Nikki Giovanni. Jon Stewart: Elizabeth Olsen. Stephen Colbert: Steve McQueen. Arsenio Hall: Zooey Deschanel, Mayim Bialik, Sherri Sheppard. Conan O’Brien: Eric Stonestreet, David Morrissey, Reggie Watts. Chelsea Handler: Jeffrey Wright, Michael Yo, Jen Kirkman, Ross Mathews. Pete Holmes: Jeff Garlin.